Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NOUAKCHOTT47
2009-01-18 15:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nouakchott
Cable title:  

FREEZING OF MAURITANIAN - ISRAELI RELATIONS

Tags:  PREL PGOV KPAL IS MR 
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PP RUEHPA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNK #0047/01 0181528
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 181528Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8027
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0430
RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA 0352
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0410
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 1952
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0748
RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE 0042
RHMFISS/COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHDS/USMISSION USAU ADDIS ABABA
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0475
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0856
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NOUAKCHOTT 000047 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL IS MR
SUBJECT: FREEZING OF MAURITANIAN - ISRAELI RELATIONS
APPEARS TO HAVE LITTLE PRACTICAL MEANING FOR NOW

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Dennis Hankins for reasons 1.4 (b and
d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NOUAKCHOTT 000047

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL IS MR
SUBJECT: FREEZING OF MAURITANIAN - ISRAELI RELATIONS
APPEARS TO HAVE LITTLE PRACTICAL MEANING FOR NOW

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Dennis Hankins for reasons 1.4 (b and
d)


1. (C) The Mauritanian regime's decision, as announced by
General Aziz at the Doha Summit on January 16, to "freeze
relations" with Israel has little practical effect for the
time being. The Israeli Ambassador received a diplomatic
note January 17 announcing that Mauritania had decided to
freeze relations following the Doha Summit but offering no
explanation as to what that means. The note asks the Israeli
Embassy to "take appropriate measures," again, providing no
details. The Ambassador has yet to be contacted by Foreign
Ministry officials and as not sought further clarification.
The Embassy opened as normal in January 17. Israeli
Ambassador Arbel told Charge that his government had no
specific response to the Doha decision. The Ambassador said
he "will not do them the favor" of reducing his activities,
limited as they are, or leaving the country.


2. (C) Israeli relations with Mauritania are essentially
limited to the presence of their corresponding chanceries
with hardly any exchanges, trade relations or development
programs. The largest Israeli initiative has been the
construction of an oncology hospital for Mauritania. The
building itself is finished, but the Israelis and Nouakchott
have been stuck in negotiations for several months over the
equipping of the center and training of Mauritanian personnel
by Israeli medical personnel. It is assumed those
discussions will end for now, but they weren't really making
much progress in any case given Mauritanian concerns over
substantially increasing the Israeli presence in Mauritania
with medical trainers. Ambassador Arbel told Charge he was
still waiting for guidance from his capital on whether to
proceed with the acquisition of a new chancery and residence
(the selected site about 100 yards from the U.S. Mission).


3. (SBU) Press reports cite regime "Foreign Minister"
Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou as saying the "freeze" will
not require Israel to close their embassy in Nouakchott nor
would the Mauritanian's expel the Israeli Ambassador.
Mauritanian press and internet chatter has been almost
unanimously supportive of Aziz' decision although multiple
comments note that "freezing" is not the same as "cutting"
the relationship. Some anti-coup militants support action
against Israel but note Aziz is not the legitimate president
and therefore has no authority to make diplomatic decisions.


4. (C) The Doha decision continues to play domestically more
in the context of Mauritania's internal political crisis than
as a question of solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Substantial attention was paid to the fact that Aziz felt
sufficiently confident in his position to risk taking his
first trip abroad since the August 6 coup (keeping in mind
that the 2005 coup against Taya was launched while he was
outside the country). Aziz was announced at the conference
as "the President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania" and
given pride of place next to the Qatari Emir according to
press reports. The press also highlighted the pleasantries
between Aziz and Algerian President Bouteflika -- seen as a
sign of a softening of Algerian resistance to the coup. The
press openly speculates that Aziz was able to secure
financial assistance from Qatar and other Arab states by
participating in the summit. At a January 17 dinner hosted
by the Israeli Ambassador, the Israeli hoped that the
just-announced Israeli cease-fire would take some of the
pressure off Aziz. The Spanish Ambassador warned he was not
optimistic since he saw Aziz looking to parlay the full
cessation of relations with Israel into the economic support
his regime needs in the face of American and African
sanctions stemming from the coup (the Spaniard discounted the
likelihood of European sanctions saying he was sure
"something will be worked out"). The Spaniard said he saw
Libya and Qatar ready to provide funds now, with Algeria and
Sudan ready to strengthen security and military ties. He
also saw Iran anxious to build relations that previous
Mauritanian governments had resisted.

NOUAKCHOTT 00000047 002 OF 002


HANKINS